Assistant Principal – Student Support Services

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Please note, we do not accept CVs submitted without a fully completed online application form.

Assistant Principal – Student Support Services

Full Time, Permanent

London

£72,246.00 (inc. London Weighting Allowance)

We are seeking an ambitious and outstanding candidate to join our senior teaching team at United Colleges Group. We are a forward-thinking education provider, committed to delivering outstanding, world-class education and skills.

Who we are

United Colleges Group (UCG) provides education to over 11,000 learners each year, including 16–18-year-olds, adults, apprentices and students with high needs.

With an annual turnover of over £50m, we are one of the top 20 largest college groups in the UK. We offer education and training across a wide range of vocational and academic areas, at a variety of levels, supporting learners of all ages and starting points.

Our students come from a diverse range of backgrounds. We have a strong commitment to widening participation, removing barriers to learning and enabling every learner to achieve their individual aspirations.

We have around 1,000 dedicated, skilled and enthusiastic staff who put the needs of our students at the heart of everything they do. We are now looking for an Assistant Principal for Student Support Services to join our dedicated and ambitious team.

Our mission is to provide all our learners with the very best knowledge, skills and opportunities, while breaking down barriers to learning. We pride ourselves on enabling learners to meet their individual needs and aspirations through a learning experience that is engaging, inclusive, enjoyable and rewarding.

About the role

As Assistant Principal for Student Support Services, you will contribute to the strategic and operational leadership, management, development and performance of the College Group.

The role will be based primarily at Willesden, with a requirement to travel across the Group's campuses and sites as required.

You will play a key role in implementing the College Group's quality improvement strategies and maintaining a culture of continuous improvement through self-assessment, performance monitoring and other quality initiatives. Working closely with the Senior Leadership Team, Curriculum Leadership Team and College Managers, you will translate strategic and operational priorities into effective plans, measurable objectives and annual performance targets.

A key element of the role will be responsibility for the leadership and high-quality delivery of Student Support Services. You will ensure that the offer is responsive to learner needs, employer and industry requirements, government priorities and local and regional skills needs.

You will have responsibility for ensuring consistently high standards of teaching, learning and assessment across your curriculum area, with a strong focus on learner experience, achievement, attendance, retention, progression and destinations.

You will review and contribute to the Curriculum Delivery Plan (CDP) and associated processes, using data, quality assurance and learner feedback to identify priorities and drive sustained improvement. You will ensure that agreed performance targets are achieved and, wherever possible, exceeded.

The successful applicant will lead, manage and develop a team of staff, with direct line management responsibility for Curriculum Managers and/or other senior curriculum staff, as agreed with the Group or Deputy Principal. You will be responsible for staff performance, professional development and identifying and facilitating appropriate training and development opportunities.

You will also develop effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including employers, industry partners, awarding organisations, universities and other relevant organisations, ensuring that the curriculum remains current, relevant and aligned to the needs of learners and the wider economy.

About you

We are looking for an experienced educational leader who can demonstrate a strong commitment to high-quality teaching, learning and student outcomes.

You will:

• Be educated to degree level or equivalent, with a commitment to continuous professional development and hold a recognised teaching qualification.

• Have significant experience of curriculum leadership and development, with a proven ability to achieve high standards in teaching, learning and assessment.

• Have a strong understanding of the post-16 education and skills environment and the wider policy context affecting further and/or higher education.

• Understand the needs of diverse learners and the importance of inclusion, safeguarding, learner support and removing barriers to achievement.

• Have experience of leading significant change and improvement, with a track record of developing teams and achieving planned outcomes.

• Demonstrate proven success in improving learner achievement, attendance, retention, progression and destinations.

• Have experience of using data, quality assurance processes and performance information to identify priorities and drive improvement.

• Have the ability to communicate and explain complex issues, data and reports clearly and effectively.

• Be confident presenting information to a range of audiences and able to listen and respond constructively to feedback.

• Be highly organised, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage complex projects and competing priorities.

• Have experience of motivating, developing and managing effective, multi-disciplinary teams, including across multiple sites where appropriate.

• Have the ability to communicate effectively with senior stakeholders and build positive and productive internal and external relationships.

• Be able to manage, delegate and prioritise workload effectively within a challenging and fast-paced environment.

• Demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement, innovation and delivering an outstanding learner experience.

• Have the ability to build strong relationships with employers, industry partners and other external stakeholders relevant to the curriculum area.

What you will bring

As an Assistant Principal, you will combine strategic leadership with a strong focus on operational delivery. You will be an inspirational and visible leader who can motivate staff, develop high-performing teams and create a culture where staff and learners are ambitious about what they can achieve.

You will bring energy, professionalism and a commitment to excellence, together with the ability to translate strategic priorities into effective action and measurable improvements.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future development and performance of Student Support Services  across United Colleges Group and to make a significant contribution to the experience and success of our learners.